Printing machine stroke control



Dec. 30, 1969 J, MAUL ET AL 3,486,446

PRINTING MACHINE STROKE CONTROL Filed April 28, 1967 m: a7 28 INVENTORS.

6/ {1/26 //3 52 v l4. j JACK aA/A/vrz B? P L 4 ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,486,446 PRINTING MACHINE STROKE CONTROL John A. Maul, Lyndhurst, and Jack G. Nantz, Euclid,

Ohio, assignors to Addressograph Multigraph Corporation, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Filed Apr. 28, 1967, Ser. No. 634,555 Int. Cl. B41j 11/00 US. Cl. 101-269 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Sales slips were once entirely handwritten wtih a carbon copy being made for the customer. Then the advent of the embossed metal plates for department store charge purposes eventually led to the more complete embossed plastic credit cards so widely known and used currently. Such cards contain various information in addition to the customers name, and are employed as source-data in a printing machine which causes a roller to press an interleaved carbon set against the surface of the plate. Other information is handwritten into the form before the transaction is completed.

Machines have been developed, such as shown in J. A. Maul 3,138,091, wherein a series of wheels having a plurality of faces, each face carrying different indicia, are held in a group and aligned with the position in which the credit card is placed for printing. Thus, variable information, such as the dollar amount of the transaction, can be added at the end of the printing stroke and be encoded into the form along with the fixed information. Use of variable printing device along with fixed printing devices enables the printing of this necessarily exact information, in order to avoid the variance due to different handwriting.

Such source data machines have been highly developed for service station use to a large extent, but have found widespread acceptance for industrial and hospital use. As an example, such a machine may be used to combine the identification card of the employee, the code card of the foreman and the identification and code card of a particular job or machine. These cards of similar nature are placed in an aligned series on the bed of a machine, and the assemblage printed out onto a work data encoding sheet. Often the employee will work only a certain number of hours or perform work on a limited number of pieces before changing jobs. Therefore, the variable data portion of the machine is provided for that purpose. However, in some instances variable data is needed only at the beginning or end of the operation, or in some instances not at all. However, the devices which carry the variable information are limited in capacity, and therefore to produce a completely blank position on such devices handicaps the extent of the machine. Another solution is to have two machines, one of which has a longer stroke than the other.

It is the object of this invention to provide a source data encoder such as shown in the Maul patent referred to above, having the variable data potential, and then providing for opening of the platen head of the machine 3,486,446 Patented Dec. 30, 1969 "ice before it reaches the variable data, or holding it until it passes through the variable data area, on an operator selection basis. Therefore, if the operator desires not to use the variable imprinting area, this may be ruled out and the head caused to open after the platen has advanced only a portion of its potential travel.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a printing machine constructed in accordance with one embodiment of this invention, showing the printing head in an elevated, nonprinting position.

FIGURE 2 is a rear elevation of the printing head only.

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view of an interposer employed for controlling printing platen stroke as viewed substantially along the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2, the interposer being in an active position.

FIGURE 4 is the interposer of the FIGURE 3 illustration actuated to an inactive position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT This invention is applicable to several source data printers, and such devices are well known in the art, and to the general public. Therefore, to abbreviate the description of this invention, only the necessary elements of a standard printing machine are illustrated. However, if knowledge of the entire printing machine is desired, one may refer to the specification of Maul US. Patent 3,138,091. In order to facilitate a relationship with that prior patent, the reference numbers used there have been adopted for like portions of the present specification. Parts not germane to this invention are not referred to.

The drawing illustrates one embodiment of a printing length selector device constructed in accordance with this invention. In these figures the printing machine is indicated generally by the reference numeral 31 and comprises a base 32 and a printing head 33. The printing head 33 is pivotally mounted on the base 32 for movement into and out of a printing position on the base. In FIGURE 1 the printing head is shown in an elevated, non-printing position. Although the related parts are not illustrated in FIGURE 2, the FIGURE 2 may be considered to be a printing position with the head lowered.

As shown in FIGURE 1, a printing station, indicated generally by the reference numeral 44 is disposed generally medially between the sides of the base and somewhat above the central portion of the base. The printing station is bordered on opposite sides by guides 48 and 49 for holding a series of printing means, such as embossed metal or plastic data cards, which printing means contains data to be printed.

A series of selectively settable type members in the form of coded wheels 63 are mounted on the base 32, aligned with the position of the printing means series, in the embodiment illustrated. It is not essential to this invention that such wheels be employed. It is feasible to have an elongated single printing means with data on the end portion which sometimes is not to be printed. Wheels and variable data imprinting devices are old and wellknown and therefore need not 'be further detailed here.

The printing head 33 comprises an exterior frame which includes a pair of side plate members 79 and 81 connected together by'a U-shaped channel member 82. A square pivot rod 84 extends between the side members 79 and 81, and is pivotally mounted upon the base 32 within the cover of the base between the side members. Thus, the printing head 33 is mounted for pivotal closing on the base 32.

Platen means mounted within the printing head 33 is manually movable transversely across the printing station 44 to imprint the data of a card or cards at the printing station onto a form interposed between the head and the base of the machine. The platen means comprises a platen roller 86. This roller may be an ink impregnated type, or dry type with a ribbon spanning the printed area. A yoke 87 straddles the channel 82. The platen roller 86 is mounted within the lower end portions of the depending arms of the yoke 87 The yoke is mounted for movement along the greater portion of the length of the channel member 82. The yoke provides movement of the platen in a path having extremes substantially equal to the length of the printing station bearing the card or series of cards. A handle 89 provides manual operation of the yoke 87. The printing head 33 is pivotable about the rod pivot 84 between a closed position placing said platen in print-out relationship to printing means on the base in the printing station 44, and an open position separating said platen from said print-out relationship.

Means for releasably clamping the printing head unyieldingly in the print-out relationship during print movement includes latching means for latching the printing head to the printing base upon movement of the printing head to the lower, printing position. These latching means are so mounted upon the printing head as to retain the printing head in its printing position until the platen roller is moved sufficiently far to complete the printing operation, whereupon any further movement of the platen roller is effective to disengage the latching means and thereby enable the printing head to return to the upper, non-printing position as illustrated in FIGURE 1.

The latching means is shown in more detail in FIG- URE 2. A pair of pawl members 103 and 104 are pivotally mounted externally of the channel member 82. A bar 111 forms a linkage interconnecting the two pawl members, and causing them to act in unison. Spring means, not shown in the drawings, urges the two pawls toward one another. A pair of lugs 117 and 118 are carried by base 32 and positioned to be engaged by the pawl members 103, 104 as they are pivoted downwardly to the printing station position. The upper surfaces of the lugs 117 and 118 are slightly beveled, as are the lower and inner edges of the pawl member 103 and 104 so that the lower ends of the pawl members are rotated outwardly by a camming action during downward movement of the printing head. Once the printing head is moved downwardly a sufiicient distance, the spring, which is not shown, is effective to bias the pawls 103 and 104 inwardly to the latch position. The printing head is thus held until the latching pawls are disengaged at the termination of the printing stroke of the platen roller.

The principal improvement of this invention is embodied in a means operable as a function of platen advance to a selected release position along the aligned series of printing characters to release said clamping action of the pawls.

Refer specifically to the FIGURES 2 thru 4. Because the pawls are interconnected by the bar 111, they act together as a single latch device. The pawl 104 is positioned in the path of travel of one arm of the yoke 87, and therefore advancement of the yoke by manual operation of the handle 89 will bring the yoke into the vicinity of the pawl 104. A contact abutment 120 is carried by one arm of yoke 87 to afford good abutment contact for driving the pawl 104. Thus, the latch devices are positioned in the path of travel of the platen at the terminal extreme of platen travel for actuation to a release position, whereby the printing head is released at the terminus of the platen printing stroke. There is no operator attention required for release of the printing head. After the printing devices and the interleaved form are placed on the printing station 44, and the head 33 pivoted to the closed position, the head will stay closed until the platen is fully 4 advanced across the printing station and there can be no error in releasing of the head before the entire printing operation has been completed. This precaution assures full print-out of the entire information with equal clarity.

However, industrial use, for example, of this data encoding device, requires a less than full printing operation in some instances. For example, whenever the variable Wheels are employed at the end of the printing series, these wheels may be used to indicate beginning or finishing time of a particular work period, or number of pieces finished during a work period or perhaps other data. Hence, a workman when beginning a job may provide his identification card, the foreman may then place his identification card adjacent to workmans together with another printing device representing the job or machine, or other work related data. Then, the variable printing device at the end of the series may be set to indicate beginning time or the other variables mentioned. In this manner the personal handwritten notation is avoided and clearly recognizable printed characters are imprinted to assure all of certainty of record.

Nevertheless, although the majority of operations may require such variable imprinting, there are instances in which it is not desired. The workman may be doing a job which does not have variable information. Or, the variable information may be desired only at the beginning or the end of the work period, and another impression would not be desired with the variable imprinting.

According to this invention, interposer means is provided which has a first position in the path of the yoke, to transmit a force to the pawl 104 prior to the advance of the yoke to the terminus of the platen printing stroke. The interposer is pivotal to a park station wherein it is in operative and the full normal yoke travel is required to open the head.

Thus, although the head 33 cannot be released until the pawl 103 and 104 are pivoted outwardly, and normally such action does not take place until the abutment reaches the pawl 104, the platen can be brought to a stop prior to reaching the end portion of the printing station 44, by means of the interposer. The pawls may be released at that time to prevent printing by separation of a platen before it reaches the terminal portion.

Specifically, as shown best in the FIGURES 3 and 4, an interposer 122 is slidably mounted on rod 124. The rod 124 is preferably of a cross sectional configuration other than circular in order that the interposer may be mounted on end tabs 126 and 128 having noncircular openings, and thus be held in a selected longitudinal position. More specifically, it is preferred that the rod 124 be of a square cross section. Then, reduced sections 130 provide a pivot station. By moving the interposer to align the tabs 126 and 128 with the reduced sections 130, the interposer may be shifted between the FIGURE 3 and FIGURE 4 positions. A spring 132 urges the interposer to an abutment position against the side member 81 but this spring is sufiiciently light in urging force that it may be easily overcome by a finger of the operator.

The strength of the spring 132 is less than necessary to move the pawls 103 and 104 against the urge of their springs, and hence placement of the interposer in the FIGURE 3 position will cause the interposer to stand free of the side member 81 a short distance as illustrated in FIGURE 3.

The operator, to use the interposer, shifts the interposer along the rod 124 until it can be rotated. Then it is rotated into the interposer position of FIGURE 3 whenever the stroke of the platen is to be foreshortened or to the position FIGURE 4 if normal operation to the full printing stroke is desired.

In the position of FIGURE 3, the interposer physically interferes with the movement of the platen by causing the abutment 120 to contact the interposer.

Upon contact of the abutment 120 with the interposer, force is transmitted to the pawl 104 and the interposer is caused to advance along the rod 124 until it abuts with the side member 81, but by the time it reaches this position the pawl 104 has advanced sufficiently to release the head. The interposer therefore serves primarily as an advance release device, rather than actually a stop device, although it does prevent the platen from moving to the end of this stroke as an incident of such interposer position.

When the yoke 87 strikes the interposer it will drive the interposer against side member 81 as it opens the pawl. The purpose in this construction is that a strong man operating handle 89 will not be able to hammer pawls with an undue force, Excess energy is applied against contact of the interposer with the side plate.

By the provision of this invention, one machine will serve the operation otherwise required by two. The extended printing station 44 is used for one set of conditions and the foreshortened print-out is used for another set of conditions. This foreshortening of the printing stroke saves the cost of a second complete machine which would otherwise be required.

Whereas the present invention has been shown and described herein in what is conceived to be the best mode contemplated, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention which is, therefore, not to be limited to the details disclosed herein, but is to be afforded the full scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. In a printing machine having a base affording a support for holding printing means in an aligned series, which printing means bears data to be printed;

a printing impression head mounted on said base, said printing head including a platen movable along the printing head in a path having extremes substantially equal to the length of said aligned series;

said printing head movable between a closed position placing said platen in print-out relationship to printing means on said base, and an open position separating said platen from said print-out relationship;

means for releasably clamping said printing head unyieldingly in said print-out relationship during print movement;

the improvement which comprises:

a release means mounting said platen for movement to a predetermined position along said aligned series wherein it makes contact with said release means for releasing saidmeans for clamping said printing head; and

interposer means for insertion into the path of platen movement to interpose between the platen and said release means to cause the release means to operate prior to the selected release position, said insertion of an interposer means being on an operator selectability basis.

2. In a printing machine as set forth in claim 1, the

improvement is further characterized in that:

said printing head is pivotably mounted on said base for movement between said closed and open position;

said means for releasably clamping said head is a latch device having a lock and release position;

means for urging said latch device to a lock position;

said latch device positioned in the path of travel of said platen at the terminal extreme of platen travel for actuation to a release position, whereby said printing head is released at the terminus of the platen printing stroke; and

interposer means having a first pOsitiOnin said path and a second position removed from said path, said interposer means having a degree of longitudinal shiftability at least equal to the required release movement of said latch device, and means for urging the interposer to an inactive position; whereby,

an interposer of selected length may be placed on an operator selectability basis to release said head prior to the potential maximum platen travel.

3. A printing machine having a base affording a support for holding printing tokens in an aligned series, which printing tokens bear data to be printed;

a printing head including a pair of vertical side frames pivotally mounted on said base for pivotal movement between an open and closed position, said side frames being rigidly interconnected by a horizontal frame member, a yoke having first and second legs straddling said frame member transversely and a platen mounted between said first and second legs, said yoke and platen assembly being reciprocable along said frame as a guide track in a path having extremes substantially equal to the length of said aligned token series and within the confines of said vertical side frames;

a latch device comprising a hook shaped pawl carried by said frame in the vicinity of one said extreme of yoke travel, a catch member carried by said base aligned for engagement by said pawl in the closed printing head position;

said pawl having a latch movement aligned with said path and swingable toward the adjacent vertical side frame for release and away from said frame for engagement, surface means carried by said yoke located and proportioned with respect to said yoke movement to drive said pawl out of catch engagement upon movement of yoke to the extreme of said path;

interposer means for limiting the available printing travel of said platen short of said path extreme, said interposer having an elongated rigid body portion, a rail extended substantially parallel and adjacent to said fame, means mounting said interposer for longitudinal shifting movement upon said rail in a first position interposed in the path of said yoke contact surface and a second position out of said path,

whereby, with said interposer in said first position, said platen is caused to unlatch the head and terminate the printing action prior to said yoke reaching the path terminus.

4. A printing machine as defined in claim 3, further characterized in that:

said inteposer in said first position spaced from said vertical side plate only a distance slightly greater than the necessary distance of pawl movement to unlatch, and the pawl is protected against excessive force by abutment of said interposer against said end wall,

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,935,939 5/1960 Doherty et a1. 101269 3,138,091 6/1964 Maul 101-45 3,279,369 10/1966 Wight 101-285 X 3,322,062 5/1967 Maul 101--45 WILLIAM B. PENN, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 101-45 

